Cloud-native is a term used to describe applications that are built to run in a cloud computing environment. These applications are designed to be scalable, highly available, and easy to manage.
By contrast, traditional solutions are often designed for on-premise environments and then adapted for the cloud. This can lead to sub-optimal performance and increased complexity.
As enterprises move more of their workloads to the cloud, they increasingly looking for solutions that are cloud-native. Cloud-native solutions are designed from the ground up to take advantage of the unique characteristics of the cloud, such as scalability, elasticity, and agility. Because cloud native applications are architectured using microservices instead of a monolithic application structure, they rely on containers to package the application’s libraries and processes for deployment. Microservices allow developers to build deployable apps that are composed as individual modules focused on performing one specific service. This decentralization makes for a more resilient environment by limiting the potential of full application failure due to an isolated problem.
Container orchestration tools, like Kubernetes, allow developers to coordinate the way in which an application’s containers will function, including scaling and deployment.
Cloud native app development requires a shift to a DevOps operating structure. This means development and operations teams will work much more collaboratively, leading to a faster and smoother production process.
IT departments are facing pressures to align their IT services with business needs, develop standardized processes and improve the IT customer experience and IT customer satisfaction, all while keeping costs low. Arguably one of the best ways to achieve this is through a Service Catalog.
A Service Catalog is the store front (or directory) of services available to the enterprise user. This includes setting expectations (what you get, when, how, at what cost) and proper measurement of those expectations to determine if they have been met or exceeded In essence, a Service Catalog helps IT departments demonstrate the value and innovation they deliver to the business and help enterprise users to access the right services at the right time, to be more productive and do their job more effectively.
A Service Catalog defines a clear view of what IT can do for employees–the value IT delivers. It enables a common understanding of what a service is, who they are available to, and what characteristics (and costs) they have. Service Catalog design templates deliver unique experience and branding; each enabling IT departments to choose the best option to meet their business and user needs
SASE (pronounced “sassy”), is an emerging cybersecurity concept that Gartner’s Andrew Lerner defines as “the convergence of wide area networking (WAN) and network security services like CASB, FWaaS and Zero Trust (ZTNA) into a single, cloud-native service model.The shift to a secure access service edge (SASE) solution is rapidly increasing as hybrid work and cloud computing continue to excel.
SASE combines software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) capabilities with a number of network security functions, all of which are delivered from a single cloud platform. In this way, SASE enables employees to authenticate and securely connect to internal resources from anywhere, and gives organizations better control over the traffic and data that enters and leaves their internal network. In this SASE architecture definition, users are provided modern cloud-first architecture for both WAN and security functions, all delivered and managed in the cloud.
Data Analytics deals with leveraging data to derive meaningful information. The process of Data Analytics primarily involves collecting and organizing Big Data to extract valuable insights, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of business processes.
Data Analysts work with various tools and frameworks to draw lucrative insights.An analyst will focus on how you collect, process, and organize data in order to create actionable results.A data analyst will also find the most appropriate way to present the data in a clear and understandable way. With Data Analysis, organizations are able to take initiatives to respond quickly to emerging market trends; as a result, increase revenue.
Why Data Analytics is Important?
Implementing Data Analytics in various industries can optimize efficiency and workflow. The financial sector is one of the earliest sectors to adopt Data Analytics in banking and finance. For example, Data Analytics is used in calculating the credit score of a person because it takes many factors into consideration for determining the lending risks.Moreover, it helps to predict the market trends and assess risks.
Data Analytics is not limited to focusing on more profits and ROI. It can also be used in the healthcare industry, crime prevention, etc. It uses statistics and advanced analytical techniques to generate valuable insights from the data and help businesses in making better data-driven decisions. Data analytics looks more at statistics and the kinds of data analysis used to connect diverse data sources and trying to find connections between the results.
Remote access technology refers to any IT toolset used to connect to, access, and control devices, resources, and data stored on a local network from a remote geographic location.
This makes remote access crucial for businesses of all sizes which have not moved to a cloud-first model, or which require access to on-premises machines or resources. Three of the most common remote access technologies – Remote Desktop Services, Remote Access Software, and Virtual Private Networks – are examined in brief.
Computing virtualization or virtualisation is the act of creating a virtual (rather than actual) version of something at the same abstraction level, including virtual computer hardware platforms, storage devices, and computer network resources. In more practical terms, imagine you have 3 physical servers with individual dedicated purposes. One is a mail server, another is a web server, and the last one runs internal legacy applications. Each server is being used at about 30% capacity—just a fraction of their running potential. But since the legacy apps remain important to your internal operations, you have to keep them and the third server that hosts them, right?
IT lifecycle management is a holistic approach to managing the entire useful life of IT assets from acquisition, installation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning and replacement. It allows for planning, examining your business needs, budget, and timing to acquire, use and phase out various technologies strategically.
Some assets to consider in your IT lifecycle management plan:
Effective IT lifecycle management can help your business plan for the future. Some of the benefits of employing IT lifecycle management services include:
Forecast Your IT Needs for Better Budgeting
Planning for future expenditures is a crucial part of running a successful business. Understanding the cost of IT resources throughout their lifecycle is part of making informed purchasing decisions for your business
Reduce Unexpected Downtime
When IT infrastructure fails, it can quickly grind your business to a halt. Slowed productivity caused by outdated systems can affect job quality and morale for your employees and cost your company time and money.
Improved Security
Businesses face constant threats from cyberattacks, and failing IT infrastructure leaves you vulnerable to bad actors and malware. Security breaches can mean lost data, lost revenue, damaged customer relations, and even legal consequences if the business is shown to have failed compliance regulations.
IT lifecycle management can be broken down into four phases:
Procurement: The initial step in any IT lifecycle is the purchase of the technology itself. Before moving forward with any purchases, it’s best to have a plan in place. It includes a complete evaluation of your existing IT infrastructure, identifying and addressing any deficiencies or opportunities to extend the infrastructure, and creating short and long-term plans to maximize the budget and leverage existing IT infrastructure. It also involves planning for asset disposal at the end of the lifecycle, negotiating with vendors to find the best possible solutions for your company within budget, procuring new IT assets, reviewing purchase logistics, and finalizing any financing options.
Deployment: After the assets are procured, they will need to be installed and integrated with existing systems. The deployment phase of IT lifecycle management includes scheduling, testing, set up, and inventory management. This phase is vital because a poorly optimized deployment can severely impact both performance and lifecycle.
Management: This is perhaps the most critical step in hardware lifecycle management. A good management strategy is vital in extending the lifespan of your IT and keeping it performing as optimally as possible. This ranges from monitoring, compliance, maintenance, backup, and financial management. Management lasts throughout the tenure of the equipment, as it requires monitoring and tech support throughout its lifecycle.
Decommissioning: The final stage of the management cycle involves the responsible removal of technological assets once your company replaces them. It includes sanitization, asset removal, and disposal/lease management returns.
If you don’t currently have an IT lifecycle management plan, look at when your technology was purchased and its life expectancy so you can plan around that end date, your business needs and examine replacement options. It’s crucial to have a plan for a replacement before your current asset reaches its end of life, thereby staggering and overlapping lifecycles.
IT service management (ITSM) is a set of policies, processes and procedures for managing the implementation, improvement and support of customer-oriented IT services. Unlike other IT management practices that focus on hardware, network or systems, ITSM aims to consistently improve IT customer service in alignment with business goals.
ITSM encompasses multiple IT management frameworks that can apply to centralized and de-centralized systems. There are multiple frameworks that fall under the ITSM discipline, and some address unique industry-specific IT needs, including those in healthcare, government or technology. Businesses using ITSM consider IT as a service, with a focus on delivering valuable services to internal and external stakeholders, rather than a department that manages technology.
M.2 vs. PCIe (NVMe) vs. SATA SSDs: What’s the Difference?
There are many types of SSDs (solid state drives) and it can be overwhelming when deciding which SSD to purchase for your next storage upgrade. The good news is, SSDs are more affordable than ever and in this blog, we’ll break down the major differences between M.2, PCIe NVMe and SATA SSDs.
The CPU, or Central Processing Unit, principal part of any digital computer system, generally composed of the main memory, control unit, and arithmetic-logic unit. It constitutes the physical heart of the entire computer system; to it is linked various peripheral equipment, including input/output devices and auxiliary storage units. In modern computers/ mobiles, the CPU is contained on an integrated circuit chip called a microprocessor.
The control unit of the central processing unit regulates and integrates the operations of the computer. It selects and retrieves instructions from the main memory in proper sequence and interprets them so as to activate the other functional elements of the system at the appropriate moment to perform their respective operations. All input data are transferred via the main memory to the arithmetic-logic unit for processing, which involves the four basic arithmetic functions (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) and certain logic operations such as the comparing of data and the selection of the desired problem-solving procedure or a viable alternative based on predetermined decision criteria.
